Fire escape



Patented Apr. 1, 1924.

ANTONIN SPERL, OF POMONA, CALIFORNIA.

FIRE ESCAPE.

Application filed January 30, 1922. Serial-No. 532,600.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANTONIN SPERL, a citizen of the United States, residing at P0- mona, in the county of Los Angeles, State of California, have invented anew and use ful Fire Escape, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to fire escapes, particularly to a fire escape which providesactual communication with the ground to persons desiring to descend from the upper floors of the buildingupon which the fire escape is secured, but which fire escape can not be used for ascent unless the element thereof connecting between the ground and the lower platform has first been suitably operated from above.

Although it is considered highly desirable to provide fire escapes with a means communicating with the ground so that a burningbuilding couldbe quickly evacuated, the use'of such ground communications has not been commonly practised owing to the easy access to the upper floors provided by these devices, thus presenting an invitation to undesirable characters and exposing the property to theirdepredations.

It is an object of my invention to provide a fire escape having a collapsible ladder communicating with the ground which may be locked in collapsed ;position,.in which position it presents a poor means of ascent.

It is a further object to provide such a fire escape with an obstruction adapted to prevent any person who has succeeded in climbing the collapsed ladder from gettlng further than the underside of the platform.

It is also an object of my invention to provide an operatingdevice associated with the collapsible ladder and the obstruction which may be quickly and easily unlocked and operated by a person upon the platform of the fire escape, but which cannot be unlocked and operated from below.

It is a still further object of my invention to provide a collapsible ladder which may be rigidly, yet economically, constructed and which may be utilized with absolute safety, and be of neat appearance when collapsed.

Other objects and advantages Wlll be made hereinafter.

Referring to the drawing which is for illustrative purposes only,

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevational View of a form of my invention showing the parts thereof disposed to provide communication between the platform and the ground, be ing taken substantially upon a plane represented by the .line 11 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the structure shown in Fig. 1. v

Fig. 3 is an elevational sectional view showing a portion of the ladder collapsed.

-Fig. 4 is a section taken on a plane represented by theline 44 of Fig. 1.

In the embodiment of my inventionshown in the drawing, a platform or balcony 11,

provided with a railing 12, is mounted upon the side of a building in such a manner that access may be had thereto through an exit 13 or by other means common to the installation of fire escapes. At one side of the platform 12 is an opening 18 provided with a door 19. From the vertical flange of the angle member 20 of the opening 18 there downwardly extends an angle member 21 which rests upon and is secured to the sidewalk 22, as indicated at 23 in Fig. 1. This angle member 21 is placed near the wall of the building and is disposed with one leg parallel to the faceof the building and the other leg extending perpendicularly outwardly therefrom, as shown in Fig. 4.

Spaced away from the angle member 21 in the direction of the outer edge of the angle member 24 is placed an angle member 26 in a position inverted fromjthat of the angle member 21. Between the angle members 21 and 26 are a series 'of-evenly spaced rungs 27 pivotally mounted as at 28. Pivoted at 30 tothe frame work of the platform 11 is an operating lever 31 having an arm 32 extending therefrom which pivotally connects at 33 to the'upper end of the an gle member 26. A plate 35 mounted upon the upper side and at the inner edge of the door 19 carries a bell crank 36 which is linked to the platform by a member 37 and to the lever 31 by a-member 38p By moving the handle 39of the lever 31 in the direction indicated by the arrow 40 in Fig. 1, an upward movement of the arm 32 in the direction of the arrow 41 is accom- ,member 26 against the angle member 21 is assumed, as shown in this figure, and the door 19, owing to the manner in which it is associated in movement with the lever 31 through the link member 38 and the members 36 and 37, is swung around hinge 42 into the closed position shown also in Fig.3.

Upon the angle member 21 are a-number of latch hooks: 45 adapted to engage plates 46 upon the angle member 26. These latches are operated by .a vertical rod 47 which is attached at its upper end 48 to a bell crank 49. Between the end 52 of the bell crank 49 and a locking lever 53 there connects a link member 54. When the lever 31 has been lowered from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 3 to collapse the ladder formed by the angle members 21 and 26 and the rungs 27 the locking lever 53 is swung upwardly around the pivot 56 causing a hook 57 formed thereupon to come to rest over a pin 58 extending from the lever 31. With the lifting of the lever 53, the upper end 52 of the bell crank 49, through the connection of the lever 53 therewith through the link 54 and the rod 47, is moved correspondingly downwardly and the latches 45 are brought into position over the inwardly extended ends of the plates 46, as shown at 60 in Fig. 3, thus locking the angle member 26 securely against the angle member 21.

It'will be perceived that when the angle members 26 and 21 are locked together, a formation is presented which is very diflicult to climb and that, in the event a person is successful in climbing the collapsed ladder, the closed door 19 obstructs'passage further than the underside of the platform 11. The door 19 may be so fitted that the opening 18 will be nearly entirely filled so that but little grip will be presented for the fingers; thus it would only be possible for one of considerable athletic attainment to mount the platform after having climbed the closed angle members 21and 26.

My device may be easily operated by a person upon the platform as little effort is required to lift the lever 31 owing to the fact that there is a natural tendency for the angle member 26 to drop into the down position after the upper end thereof has been thrown off the dead center, and it is entirely impossible for the device to be operated from below'as the locking lever is situated centrally and to the rear of the platform, as will be perceived, and is protected by the floor 65 from being actuated by anyone below the platform.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a fire escape, the combination of: a platform having an opening through the floor thereof; means providing access to said fire escape from the interior of a building; a collapsible ladder extending downwardly from said opening; a door hinged to said latform at the edge of said opening; a ever hinged upon said platform for collapsing said ladder; and link means acting, between said lever and said door, to close said door when said lever is actuated to collapse said ladder.

2. In a fire escape, the combination of: a platform having an opening in the floor thereof; a vertical member extending downwardly from said platform substantially at the edge of said opening, said member being rigidly supported; a second vertical member suitably spaced from said rigid vertical member; ladder rungs pivoted between said vertical members; a door for closing said Opening hinged upon said platform; an operating lever, hinged upon said platform and pivoted to said second vertical member, for lifting said second member into a position against said rigid member; and link members associated with said operating lever for closing said opening with said door when said operating lever is actuated to bring said vertical members together.

3. In a fire escape, th combination of: a, platform having an opening in the floor thereof; a vertical member extending downwardly from said platform substantially at th edge of said opening, said member being rigidly supported; a second vertical member suitably spaced from said rigid Vertical member; ladder rungs pivoted between said vertical members; a door for closing said opening hinged upon said platform; an operating lever, hinged upon said platform and pivoted to said second vertical member, for lifting said second member into a position against said rigid member; and link members associated with said operating lever for closing said opening with said door when said operating lever is actuated to bring said vertical members together; and means for locking said operating lever in actuated position.

4. In a fire escape, the. combination of: a platform having an opening in the floor thereof; a vertical member extending down wardly from said platform substantially at the edge of said opening, said member being rigidly supported; a second vertical member lifting said second member into a position against said rigid member; link members associated with said operating lever for closing said opening with said door When said 5 operating lever is actuated to bring said vertical members together; and means for looking said operating lever in actuated position and for locking said second vertical member against said rigid vertical member.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set 10 my hand at Pomona, California, this 21 day of January, 1922.

ANTONIN SPERL. 

